After a long time, a short chapter is here. Hope you guys enjoy!
CHAPTER OF CONTINUATION 12
The new semester had started right after I finished my high school graduation and Ayase finished her middle school graduation. I had to wait a few months before entering the university and Ayase would be attending her high school next month.
I'm here in my apartment, sitting on the newly bought couch checking out the newly bought smartphone as my little sister was preparing fresh dinner tonight.
My left hand held the back of the smartphone securely while the other hand curiously touched and slid the enormous screen. It was quite impressive because it's the first time I got my hand on a smartphone.
It's kind of a trend nowadays.
As soon as I inserted a sim card into the phone, ting!
A message was sent from the line provider.
"Congratulation on your smartphone upgrade. To subscribe to an internet plan, please dial ****"
Then, the message was followed by another party.
From Sakurai Akimi :
Hey, how are you? I find something interesting you might wanna check out.
There's a link attachment on the message.
I clicked on the link and before my eyes hit the page of the link, Ayase out of blue, asked,
"What's up onii-chan? You seem to get a lot of message?"
I looked at her hectic condition. She seemed to be very slotted with dishes and was arranging them on the table.
"A lot? It was merely two of them…"
With high pride, she replied.
"It's more than one, so that's a lot. Besides, I can't imagine if onii-chan could get more than that."
My heart was kind of broke, but since it wasn't wholly true, it didn't matter to me.
"It's from Akimi, she sent me something."
"Akimi…?"
"Yea, the short girl with purple hair. I introduced her when you were on my last day of high school."
"Oh… that girl…"
"—What did she send?"
"I'm checking it out."
Looking back at the screen, the pages already finished loading.
Let's see…
HOT RECRUITMENT! Are you interested in Otaku Culture? Your heart throbs so fast during an anime airing? Your mouth is eager to share some interest with other fellas? At ease. We're now recruiting new members for Otaku Girls Unite!
Venue: Akiba, Cure Maid Cafe
Ting!
A follow-up message from the same person.
From Sakurai Akimi:
Care to join? It seems fun.
"Join…?"
To Sakurai Akimi:
It's Otaku Girls Unite. Purposely for girls. Definitely I can't join.
Sigh… What is she thinking?
"What's up onii-chan? Sighing heavily like that." Ayase commented after seeing my sudden poor condition.
"It's nothing."
"I see."
After a short reply from Ayase, another message came.
From Sakurai Akimi:
It doesn't matter, look at the picture below the site. They have a guy in the group.
I focused deeply onto the picture as I felt I've seen that guy before.
"That dude…" I murmured.
Looking back the past that Ayase had told me, I became slightly enraged.
Without hesitation, I tapped my finger to reply.
To Sakurai Akimi:
Yea, I'm in. Let's meet at the stated venue.
Soon, my phone rang, showing Sakurai Akimi.
"Ha….?"
I picked it up.
"Hello-"
"Ssuuppp Satoshi! What made you change your mind?"
"Who changed whose mind? I just agreed to stick along, be grateful and don't be such a busybody."
"I merely feel weird, that's all. Anyway, I'm so happy that you could come with me! Do you know where to head?"
"Yeah, don't worry. I got the address and I already where the café is."
"So good, yuppy! Well then, see you at the front entrance!"
The call ended.
I let out sigh, with a little smile on my face as it's followed up by Ayase's question.
"Who was that, onii-chan?"
I extended the smile even longer.
"I got something to surprise you, maybe you could come together?"
She frowned, not understanding the situation, she still went along.
"Ahah... I don't mind…"
"Great, we'll depart tomorrow in the morning."
"—Let's see what we have tonight."
I stood up and viewed the dishes prepared by my little sister. Getting slightly surprised, I hummed a tiny "Heehh…"
She smiled, saying.
"I learnt it from oka-san, hope it's the same."
Croquettes, one of my favourite especially when my mother cooks it. But I keep my excitement at low profile, not to expose my happiness too much.
"—And, I heard from oka-san that you love this. So I tried to make one!"
Emitting my spoiled ego, I said,
"Even you, her daughter cook this doesn't mean that it will be like oka-san's."
"Hehe… onii-chan better off not challenging me… Take a bite and you'll know!"
Accepting her challenge, I sat on the chair and ate a partial using chopstick.
"(Itadakimasu)"
"…"
It's….
"Umm." I nodded.
"—Delicious."
It tasted exactly the same like my mother's.
"See? I can make anything if I try."
I put on a gentle smile.
"You passed."
"Hoho? I passed what I wonder?"
"You passed….-"
"-…-"
I paused my sentence long enough to enforce her curiosity.
"Passed what?!"
"—Ummm- …..—umm"
"WHAT?!" she eagerly asked.
"You passed to be my long life sweetheart."
"Sweetheart… only? Not so-called wife?"
Accessing her forehead using my finger,
PAP!
I flicked it.
"Idiot, don't be selfish."
"Jeez…!" she pouted.
We laughed like a breezing wind, ending the night together.
"…."
….
Next morning. As planned, we went to Akihabara by train. A never-changing city for me and a nostalgic city for Ayase.
Ayase's eyes swallowed deeply as if she was reminiscing her past.
"How is it? Ringing any bell?"
I asked.
"Yea... but it is instead a bad bell…."
"Ak… Ha..ha…" I laughed wryly.
I know what she meant by that so I decided not to ask any question.
"Come on, let's go. Do you remember the old café we used to go?"
"Yes, somehow. But it's still a little blurry."
"No sweat! You should remember it clearly the moment you see it."
We walked toward the said maid café, seeing a lot of stuff to our surrounding. Games, anime, manga… cosplay…
Argh! It tickles my urge to buy real hard since I've never bought anything since graduation!
But I had to resist, not trying to provoke Ayase any further.
….
And... we arrived.
"Here it is."
Ayase's face remained unchanged.
"—Not impressed huh..?"
"No… not really…"
"Well, shall we come in?"
As usual,
"Welcome home, my lady and my master!"
A bunch of maid welcomed us.
Suddenly, Ayase spoke.
"I need to go to the toilet. Where is it?"
One of the maid answered.
"Let me show you, this way."
And they left.
Another maid greeted me.
"Where my master likes to sit?"
"Not now, I'll tell you later. Let's wait for my little sister."
"Oh…." She put her finger on her chin.
"—She's your little sister?...-Something familiar is happening here…"
"…? What…?"
"Are you….." she asked.
As she took a closer on me, and glared intensely.
"—Satoshi-sama…?"
"—Isn't it?!"
"Ah.. yes…"
"As expected! Where have you been?! It's a long time since your last visit!"
"I was…-wait, who are you?"
"Aww… don't you remember me? I'm Kirara's colleague."
"Oh…. Sorry, there's too much of you, I can't remember well."
"Ahahaha… no worries. I'm glad you visit us again."
Wa-wait…wait, wait.
I forgot about Kirara!
Oh god… I hope she already forgets about me…
I lowered down my voice and whispered,
"Is Kirara here?"
"About her, she's at…"
She paused.
"—oh… no, she isn't in the shift today."
Woi, what's with the pause?!
"Are you…-"
Before I finished asking, Ayase was already done.
"I'm finished onii-chan, let's go. By the way, what are we here for actually?"
"About that."
I looked at the maid.
"—We're here for this."
I lifted my phone high and showed a picture to the maid.
It's the advertisement of the recruitment.
"I see… I understand. Follow me."
The maid led us to the VIP room.
Before entering the room, I waited outside then followed by Ayase.
"Say… onii-chan, isn't the picture is recruitment for otaku group…?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Then, what would surprise me? Are you going to join the group?"
"I'm not joining actually, it is Akimi would want."
"So? What interests me….?"
"Take a peek inside the room."
Without further arguing, Ayase did as I said.
"Isn't that…?!"
"—Kirino?!"
Soon after, Akimi joined us.
"Wiizzz! Sorry I'm late… I saw a puppy so-"
I put a stop sign and said.
"Enough of your excuse, I think we should come in."
"—Let's go Ayase... And umm... before that."
"Yes?"
"Is the guy that sitting there in the group the one that dumped you?"
"Ah.. yeah..."
"Fair enough, let's go."
I led them as Ayase was walking worriedly, and that caused her to fall few steps behind.
As soon as I see the guy in the picture, my unconscious sense told me to take a swing on his face.
Before releasing my urge,
"Is this the 'Otaku Girl Unite' offline meeting?"
I asked politely.
Everyone immediately stopped their activities and looked at me.
Once seen, all the girls in the group had their jaw hung low.
The guy seemed slightly happy for whatever the reason.
Afterwards, he looked at me then looked back at the girls.
"See, a guy has joined us. Looks like the 'Otaku Girl Unite' doesn't really mean for girls only."
Their dumbfounded reaction didn't change quite a bit. They were surprisingly taken into an odd reaction.
"—Why are you guys so quiet….?"
He asked again.
As soon he turned his sight toward me,
PAP*
A punch went into his face.
"The hell are you doing?!" he asked.
Touching his little bruise, he backed off a bit.
I just smiled as happy as I was able to fulfill my pent-up dream. Then Ayase came coaxing me, with surprise plus satisfaction.
"Onii-chan! You don't have to do that..."
Ayase appeared as she clung on my arm. Innocently I said,
"Ehh~ Isn't that the guy who dumped you?"
"Sure he is… but, this is going too far….."
"Serve him right! He made my little sister cried."
Out of the mist of a little chaos, Kirino yelled.
"Ayase!"
"Oh, Kirino. Good day." Ayase replied.
"What are you doing here?!"
"I'm here for the new recruitment, didn't you guys get the message?"
"No, no, no, no, no…-NO! That's not what I mean. This can't be right! Why are you the one here?"
"I don't really understand what you mean by that...—I'm just following my brother."
"YOUR WHAT?!"
"My brother…? Let me introduce, here is my brother, Satoshi." Ayase declared, pointing fingers toward me.
Everybody went "Ehhh?!"
A/N : The continuation is on Kyousuke's chapter!
